A. Attached or single? Attached
B. Best friend? Steven...and Olivia. I'm not saying that to be smarmy. She really is fun to hang out with, and she's the person I spend the most time with.
C. Cake or pie? PIE. No contest at all.
D. Day of choice? Friday, I guess
E. Essential item? Chapstick
F. Favorite color? Olive green
G. Gummy bears or worms? Bears, although just about any amount of candy gives me a headache
H. Hometown? Porterville
I. Indulgence? Reading and napping, often sequentially
J. January or July? January
K. Kids? About one and a half
L. Life isn’t complete without: People who depend on you
M. Marriage date? August 12
N. Number of brothers & sisters? Three each, in laws not included (but there are plenty of those)
O. Oranges or apples? Oranges, no question
P. Phobias? Being alone for too long - anyone who knew me growing up might find this humorous
Q. Quotes? "
S. Season of choice? Fall
T. Tag seven peeps! Um, no. I saw this on a friend's blog and wasn't tagged myself, but wanted to do it anyway. You may do the same.
U. Unknown fact about me? I have very dexterous toes, which I often use subconsciously to do tasks. I'm basically a monkey.
V. Vegetable? Artichokes, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts
W. Worst habits? Picking ingrown hairs out of my legs (and my husband's face)
X. X-ray or ultrasound? Ultrasound
Y. Your favorite food? I've said before that I love green olives. I also love fresh pineapple, but not on pizza.
Z. Zodiac sign? Aquarius
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Used
This morning I decided to take Olivia to go explore Old Town Humble - that is, Main Street in Humble. I'd heard that there were some shops and it was supposed to be the town's historic district. (Puh-snort.) It turned out to be one of those sad, sun-baked streets lined with crippled store fronts that become occupied intermittently either by unrealistically hopeful boutiqueurs or disappointingly pragmatic bail bondsmen. Most of the shops wore blank expressions and boasted the single accessory of a faded "For Lease" sign.
We ended up strolling down past the railroad tracks (we did get to see a train crossing, the highlight of the morning) and looking around a Latino grocery store before we turned around to walk back on the other side of the street. Being in areas like that always makes me ponder and theorize on ways that one might possibly invigorate the area. What would it take; what kind of store or business or initiative could one possibly bring in to resurrect it? Part of the problem is that people need to have money in order to spend it, and then they need to feel an impetus to spend it, and to spend it in a specified location. And a big problem with me taking on the role of savior for this area is that I don't believe in forcing people to spend money on things they don't need, and I'm no Music-Man-type salesman who wants to create those needs. I look at old shops and houses and feel sad and wistful that they aren't occupied, but the only worthy solutions I can think of are schools and charities and stores that sell useful things, not knickknacks.
We ended our journey at a used book store. It was actually open, so I decided to go in and look around. My mental journey during our walk had almost convinced me that I had to at least try to spend some money in this area, and books, at least, are worthwhile.
Alas, upon walking in I was reminded that only SOME books are worthwhile. Basically, the store's inventory consisted of rows and rows of shelves and stacks of tattered paperback smut. I steered Olivia through hundreds of thousands of bodice-ripping covers to the back of the store, where I sifted through maybe 100 thinner volumes to find a few worthwhile paperbacks: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Henry Huggins, Shabanu, The Cay, and a few others. All of them were very well worn; several had "DISCARD" stamped on the front covers.
I took them up to the front of the store, where I was informed that the store sold all its books for half of their original publisher's price. All of them. Meaning that I could get my 20-year-old, badly used, DISCARDed copy of Henry Huggins for a mere $2.
I thought about informing the lady that I was absolutely certain that I was the first person who had been in her store all day and could very likely be the only customer she would see all week, and she would be lucky to GIVE me the books just so she could record a transaction. I thought about telling her that her profit margin on these books would exceed just about anyone's if she gave me the whole bunch for a dollar. I thought about telling her that she could bribe a local hoodlum (or a community-minded Boy Scout) to set a match to the whole place, and she could gain almost as much from the insurance company as society would gain from the disappearance of her inventory.
Instead, I told her kindly that thank you very much, but I wasn't interested in paying that much for used books. She replied that if I brought in some of my own books, I could have them for 15%.
I smiled and left. No thanks.
We ended up strolling down past the railroad tracks (we did get to see a train crossing, the highlight of the morning) and looking around a Latino grocery store before we turned around to walk back on the other side of the street. Being in areas like that always makes me ponder and theorize on ways that one might possibly invigorate the area. What would it take; what kind of store or business or initiative could one possibly bring in to resurrect it? Part of the problem is that people need to have money in order to spend it, and then they need to feel an impetus to spend it, and to spend it in a specified location. And a big problem with me taking on the role of savior for this area is that I don't believe in forcing people to spend money on things they don't need, and I'm no Music-Man-type salesman who wants to create those needs. I look at old shops and houses and feel sad and wistful that they aren't occupied, but the only worthy solutions I can think of are schools and charities and stores that sell useful things, not knickknacks.
We ended our journey at a used book store. It was actually open, so I decided to go in and look around. My mental journey during our walk had almost convinced me that I had to at least try to spend some money in this area, and books, at least, are worthwhile.
Alas, upon walking in I was reminded that only SOME books are worthwhile. Basically, the store's inventory consisted of rows and rows of shelves and stacks of tattered paperback smut. I steered Olivia through hundreds of thousands of bodice-ripping covers to the back of the store, where I sifted through maybe 100 thinner volumes to find a few worthwhile paperbacks: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Henry Huggins, Shabanu, The Cay, and a few others. All of them were very well worn; several had "DISCARD" stamped on the front covers.
I took them up to the front of the store, where I was informed that the store sold all its books for half of their original publisher's price. All of them. Meaning that I could get my 20-year-old, badly used, DISCARDed copy of Henry Huggins for a mere $2.
I thought about informing the lady that I was absolutely certain that I was the first person who had been in her store all day and could very likely be the only customer she would see all week, and she would be lucky to GIVE me the books just so she could record a transaction. I thought about telling her that her profit margin on these books would exceed just about anyone's if she gave me the whole bunch for a dollar. I thought about telling her that she could bribe a local hoodlum (or a community-minded Boy Scout) to set a match to the whole place, and she could gain almost as much from the insurance company as society would gain from the disappearance of her inventory.
Instead, I told her kindly that thank you very much, but I wasn't interested in paying that much for used books. She replied that if I brought in some of my own books, I could have them for 15%.
I smiled and left. No thanks.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Ouch.
So, if you haven't done something that really, really hurts in a while and you feel like you're missing out, try pouring bleach on an open blister.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Discipline
This morning at the grocery store Olivia was an absolute terror. She screamed and screamed and kept trying to stand up in the cart, throw my grocery list on the floor, grab things off the shelves, etc. I felt angry and embarrassed, but mostly betrayed because she's almost always so sweet tempered. I always feel a little bit proud when we go out because MY child is so friendly and well behaved. Well, HA.
The problem is that there's not much you can do about misbehavior while you're there in the grocery store. I try to distract her, calm her down, show disapproval, stuff her full of tortilla and banana, but if she's bent on testing me, as she was today, all I can do is weather it until we get home - where of course, upon arrival, she is a perfect angel. I don't believe in spanking or yelling, so all I can do is basically reiterate my disapproval with her behavior in the store and put her in time out for a while. In my mind, the whole concept of "time out" is for the child to regain composure, so in this case it's really less effective. Plus, I don't know if it even computes, no matter how I try, that her isolation is a consequence of her behavior in the store, and not associated with her current, pleasant state.
At any rate, I guess putting Olivia away for a while gives ME some time to cool off. I'd say it's a pity that she has to go to her room so that Mommy can have a time out...but then, let's remember what started this whole thing in the first place.
The problem is that there's not much you can do about misbehavior while you're there in the grocery store. I try to distract her, calm her down, show disapproval, stuff her full of tortilla and banana, but if she's bent on testing me, as she was today, all I can do is weather it until we get home - where of course, upon arrival, she is a perfect angel. I don't believe in spanking or yelling, so all I can do is basically reiterate my disapproval with her behavior in the store and put her in time out for a while. In my mind, the whole concept of "time out" is for the child to regain composure, so in this case it's really less effective. Plus, I don't know if it even computes, no matter how I try, that her isolation is a consequence of her behavior in the store, and not associated with her current, pleasant state.
At any rate, I guess putting Olivia away for a while gives ME some time to cool off. I'd say it's a pity that she has to go to her room so that Mommy can have a time out...but then, let's remember what started this whole thing in the first place.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Little women make me cry...and gag
So, I just finished bawling my way through watching Little Women. And I even skipped over Beth's death.
I bawled during the opera scene. I bawled when Laurie came back. I bawled really hard at the end when Friedrich comes back.
Even when I'm not all pregnant, Little Women really is a good and touching movie. Except, of course, for the Worst Kiss Ever. It's so bizarre that Winona Ryder and Christian Bale could be the perpetrators of such a thing, but indeed, they are. I guess the filmmakers had to do that so that we'd be turned off by the trail of saliva and okay with them not getting together. But still. Ick.
I bawled during the opera scene. I bawled when Laurie came back. I bawled really hard at the end when Friedrich comes back.
Even when I'm not all pregnant, Little Women really is a good and touching movie. Except, of course, for the Worst Kiss Ever. It's so bizarre that Winona Ryder and Christian Bale could be the perpetrators of such a thing, but indeed, they are. I guess the filmmakers had to do that so that we'd be turned off by the trail of saliva and okay with them not getting together. But still. Ick.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Amber as a Disney Princess
You Are Pocahantas!
Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Marriage is Work?
Tomorrow Steven and I celebrate the second anniversary of our marriage. That's right: 2 years, 2 kids. It's been great. I have been happier than I ever thought possible.
Which gets me to thinking about something people always say: Marriage is hard work. Frankly, it hasn't been. For me, DATING was hard. Marriage is the fun part, and everything in my life right now would be much harder and much less enjoyable if I were not married.
I'm not sure what's supposed to be hard about it. Getting along? We got married because we got along and never got sick of each other. Learning to live with someone? We've both lived with people all our lives and had to contribute to households. I guess we had a hard time at first sleeping comfortably in the same bed, but that was quickly resolved. Working together on things? We met when we were working together; that's never been a problem. We also think similarly and have common goals. Raising children? Well, so far that's been fun, and much easier as a couple than it would be alone. Learning to share? We both wanted to get married because we were sick of living just for ourselves. We LIKE to share!
I guess we do both work hard, but it just doesn't seem to me like marriage itself has been a cause of work. Instead, it's probably the best part of my life (it entails a lot of good things). Does having an easy marriage mean we're doing something wrong? Or do we just need to wait a few more years to become embittered with each other and jaded with life? Am I the only one who feels this way?
At any rate, if I could do it all over again, I'd marry Steven the moment I met him. Which would be really awkward, since it was when he was interviewing me for a job.
Which gets me to thinking about something people always say: Marriage is hard work. Frankly, it hasn't been. For me, DATING was hard. Marriage is the fun part, and everything in my life right now would be much harder and much less enjoyable if I were not married.
I'm not sure what's supposed to be hard about it. Getting along? We got married because we got along and never got sick of each other. Learning to live with someone? We've both lived with people all our lives and had to contribute to households. I guess we had a hard time at first sleeping comfortably in the same bed, but that was quickly resolved. Working together on things? We met when we were working together; that's never been a problem. We also think similarly and have common goals. Raising children? Well, so far that's been fun, and much easier as a couple than it would be alone. Learning to share? We both wanted to get married because we were sick of living just for ourselves. We LIKE to share!
I guess we do both work hard, but it just doesn't seem to me like marriage itself has been a cause of work. Instead, it's probably the best part of my life (it entails a lot of good things). Does having an easy marriage mean we're doing something wrong? Or do we just need to wait a few more years to become embittered with each other and jaded with life? Am I the only one who feels this way?
At any rate, if I could do it all over again, I'd marry Steven the moment I met him. Which would be really awkward, since it was when he was interviewing me for a job.
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